We are living in a Nature crisis, this last year our Insect populations have crashed . We need to do better. We need to save our nature . Raising awareness is vital to their survival 

Everyone and every creature deserves a local environment in which they can thrive. 

Medical blister packs are difficult to recycle  and millions are sent to landfill, incinerated or littered with all the negative effects resulting from single use packaging. Alternative sustainable, recyclable packaging is urgently needed.   

🤔 Ever wondered what happens to the soft plastic that you return to the supermarket for recycling? Well, we've managed to find out. 🕵️ We placed tracking devices into 40 bundles of soft plastic packaging and dropped them at front-of-store collection points at Sainsbury's and Tesco supermarkets across England. 🔥 The results of our investigation reveal that 70% of the tracked soft plastic bundles that reached a final destination is burnt, not recycled.  🚢 The rest ended up at recycling facilities that downcycle soft plastic waste into products other than packaging – the majority of which were in Türkiye. ⚠️ Environmental law NGO ClientEarth warns that there is strong evidence that soft plastic recycling claims are misleading the public. 🛒 Since 2021, major UK supermarkets, including Sainsbury's and Tesco, have been rolling out front-of-store collection points to recycle soft plastic packaging, while “Recycle with bags at large supermarkets” labels are now seen across an extensive range of soft plastic packaging. 🙅 But soft plastic packaging is acknowledged by the waste management industry and the UK Government to be incredibly challenging to recycle... 🏭 With plastic production set to triple by 2060, these schemes are a symptom of a system that is out of control.  ✊ Supermarkets are part of the problem. But they’re also part of the solution. 🗣️ Now you can help push for change. ✏️ Sign and share our petition calling for Sainsbury’s and Tesco to publicly back a 40% cut in global plastic production by 2040.

Because it would reduce the carbon emissions we produce which contribute to global warming and would reduce the UK's dependency on energy imports from other countries. 

This would ensure that members of the public are aware of what is actually happening in their area. It would confirm if treatment plants are over or near capacity. This would ensure that when new building works are being proposed members of the public and local government have all the information needed to make an informed decision. It would also show the government where new builds could be safely built, without harm to the people and the environment. At the moment there is only population capacity treatment data available through the Environment Agency. This only includes population, we need to know how many businesses are also on each sewage treatment plant. Lastly, we need to know how the treatment plant is performing, when was maintenance last performed and what are its issues. 

The establishment of a mega farm is critically concerning for several reasons. Firstly, modern animal agriculture techniques, particularly in large-scale operations, are notoriously cruel. Pigs and chickens are often subjected to extreme confinement, preventing them from engaging in natural behaviours. This leads to significant physical and psychological suffering for the animals. Secondly, the environmental impact of such farms is profound. These operations generate large amounts of waste, which can contaminate local water supplies and contribute to air pollution. The excessive use of antibiotics in these settings also poses a risk of developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can affect human health. Moreover, the presence of a mega farm can have serious repercussions for local communities. The potential for foul odours, increased traffic, and noise pollution can degrade the quality of life for nearby residents. Property values may decline, and the local infrastructure could become strained under the increased burden. In summary, opposing the mega farm is vital to protect animal welfare, safeguard our environment, and ensure the well-being of our local communities. Promoting more sustainable and humane farming practices is essential for a healthier, more ethical future.

Sitting on the southern edge of Colchester, the Middlewick Ranges is a former Ministry of Defence firing range that has become a much-loved wildlife space in an increasingly congested city. Locally known as ‘the Wick’, this 76ha mosaic of flowery acid grassland, sandy slopes, scrub, woodland and hedgerows is home to a rich diversity of animals. The Wick is a key breeding area for the second-best population of Red Listed Nightingale in the UK, and a home to nesting Skylarks and Vulnerable Barbastelle Bats, while small mammals and reptiles also find a refuge here. It supports almost 1,500 invertebrate species, including a quarter of all the UK’s spiders and a quarter of all the butterflies and moths found in Essex. This includes threatened species such as the Four-banded Weevil-wasp (Cerceris quadricincta) and the Endangered Necklace Ground Beetle (Carabus monilis). However, despite the Wick’s huge value for wildlife and people, the site has been earmarked for up to 1,000 houses in Colchester’s Local Plan, and the Ministry of Defence has put the site up for sale. This would be a disaster for its precious wildlife. This petition calls for Colchester City Council to recognise that Essex’s largest acid grassland is too special to be lost under concrete.  We urge the Council to take this vital opportunity to remove the Middlewick Ranges allocation as part of its Local Plan review and find an alternative site that is less harmful to nature. Please sign our petition to save the wonderful Wick! This petition is supported by Buglife, Butterfly Conservation, Colchester Natural History Society, CPRE Essex, Essex Field Club, Essex Wildlife Trust, Friends of Middlewick, Essex Birdwatching Society and RSPB. For more information, please visit the Buglife campaign webpage and the Save the Middlewick Ranges website. 

What would Jesus do if he owned 105,000 acres (60,000 football pitches) of land? Would he farm it for profit, or would he use it to restore forests, wetlands and meadows to help save our vanishing wildlife?  This is the dilemma faced by the Church of England whose wealthy and secretive investment arm - the Church Commissioners - own just such an impressive amount of land throughout England. In total the estate is worth over £10bn! Forget the churchyards - they’re just the tip of the iceberg.  But whilst 13% of the UK is woodland, only 4% of this Church land is covered by trees! Meanwhile, other measurements of nature’s health (SSSIs) suggest the land has even less space for nature than other big landowners have. As one of the biggest institutional landowners in one of the world’s most nature depleted countries this is a BIG problem. Justin Welby: the Church of England, which you head, has acknowledged the important role it plays in protecting all of God’s creation from the climate and biodiversity crises, and yet the 105,000 acres of land under the control of the Church Commissioners are still part of the problem not the solution. You have the power to call on your Church Commissioners to rewild some of this land and commit to making the Church a pioneering voice in combating climate change and biodiversity loss.  The UN has estimated that to face the threat of environmental collapse we need to rewild 30% of land globally by 2030. By pledging to meet the UN’s target and rewilding 30% of land held by the Church Commissioners you would be able to restore nature to land over half the size of Dartmoor! It would send a huge and powerful signal to landowners and governments around the world and could inspire a wave of rewilding action. Calling on the Church Commissioners to rewild 30% of their land would be an act of good stewardship for both people and nature, actively working towards a future more liveable for all. Justin Welby, will you invest in nature and rewild your land?

People from across Dartford are in shock with the senseless killing of a group of geese, who were viciously run down along Anchor Boulevard last Sunday. There is no excuse for such behaviour and it's been hard to come to terms with anyone choosing to harm innocent creatures in this way. Crossways Boulevard and the surrounding roads have long been dangerous for humans and wildlife alike! Whilst we acknowledge steps taken by local representatives, local authorities and the police to implement road safety measures such as Public Safety Protection Orders (PSPOs) and Dartford Council installing an ANPR camera in 2023, a speed camera being installed here would ultimately be the most effective deterrent.  We would also like to see more being done to protect wildlife! Currently there is just one wildlife warning sign by a roundabout. We are pushing for the installation of "wildlife crossing" signs at the locations where geese and other wild fowl most frequently cross over to and from the 3 lakes that are positioned in this busy location.  It's imperative that action is taken and that KCC do all they can to protect wildlife in this area, to create an environment where people and nature can co-exist more harmoniously. Dartford Animal Rescue are in contact with Kent Wildlife Police to try and bring the perpetrator to justice. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to change this appalling act of violence, with an individual choosing to behave in this cruel manner. What we can do now is to gather our strength as a community and to highlight the urgent need for road users in general to be sensitive to wildlife living along here.  Petition by: Green Party Councillor Laura Edie and Ciara O'hare, on behalf of Dartford Animal Rescue Team. 

Removing the trees would be at the expense of the environment, both in a GREEN sense and in as much as the loss of said trees would be detrimental to the “tree-lined avenue” presentation enjoyed and appreciated by residents and visitors alike along this busy thoroughfare. The character of this part of the city’s “leafy suburb” would be further eroded. Felling the trees would have a negative impact on the area and the removal of mature trees will affect the value of property in the immediate vicinity.  The felling would set a precedent and potentially lead to the destruction of all the trees along the entire length of Neville Street

The road in question is: Easternville Gardens, Gants Hill, Ilford, Essex. It runs parallel with the A12 Eastern Avenue, between Cranley Drive at the east side and Quebec Road towards the west side.  It's only a matter of time that an emergency would occur and if coincidentally, vehicles ARE parked (ie two vehicles on opposite sides of the road at the either end of this road, with all four wheels on the road - in accordance with LBR-Traffic Regulations) then only will it become apparent the problem this Traffic Regulation has caused. NOTE: Emergency vehicles would NOT be able to pass between vehicles parked in the manner 'legally acceptable' to LBR, as photographs taken to simulate this situation, will prove, if necessary. Having contacted the Ilford Police via an online pro-forma, with this concern, they responded by claiming 'this a matter for the Redbridge Council and not the police'.      Many drivers had previously and some currently, parked with two wheels on the footpath at the 'problematic ends' of the Easternville Gardens - especially at the end with Canley Drive - only to be issued with PCNs. Apparently, it would seem this 'absurd and ambiguous regulation' is essentially ONLY for financial gains from imposed fines and no concern for the 'latent' problems that will undoubtedly occur in an emergency situation.